"Berkeley of the East" calls for smart meter moratorium

I live in one of the greenest, crunchiest, granola-loving towns on the east coast. And I love it. But there are times when even I'm taken aback by local sentiment. The latest case in point is the flyer that appeared on my street calling for a wireless smart meter moratorium. The purpose of smart meters is to measure and report energy usage. More data helps utility companies better manage peak loads, which in turn has the potential to help conserve energy overall, and even save consumers money on their monthly bills.

There is apparently, however, a dark side to smart meters.

The flyer in my neighborhood warns of radiation, potential fires, interference with pacemakers, and (my favorite) the VIOLATION OF PRIVACY imposed on citizens forced to use smart meters.

I'm all in favor of rigorous radiation testing, but I also know that I don't plan to sleep with my head pressed up against a smart meter. Potential fires? Maybe. But I could also end up with one of those from the citronella candles I light on my porch.

As for pacemaker interference, there are many sources of radio frequency signals today, which is why pacemakers manufacturers are required to test their devices for susceptibility to interference.

And then there's the privacy matter. If you want to opt out of modern society, so be it. But it strikes me as a bit absurd to condemn the power company for collecting data on power usage -- particularly when anyone sitting outside your home could tell just as easily as the power company when the lights are on.

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